The Truth About Kombucha Will Make You Thirst For It

vrijdag 13 september 2013

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by Adriana Velez 13 hours ago

Have you tried kombucha yet? You know the stuff -- it's sold as a bottled tea, and yet it's more than tea. Maybe your friends have told you it's kinda, sorta, still alive. Or that it's brewed from a mother. Or that once they started drinking it they never got sick ever, ever again. And you were like, "Wait, go back to that part about the mother?!?"

Don't be scared! No mothers are harmed in the making of kombucha, and drinking it isn't a form of cannibalism. But it is some fascinating stuff that's worth trying at least once. Who knows, once you find out what it's all about, you may start brewing your own.

Kombucha is a fizzy, non-alcoholic fermented drink made with sweetened tea and a colony of bacteria and yeast called a "mother" or more commonly a "SCOBY." (Not to be confused with Scooby Doo.) That sounds pretty funky. Now that I write it all out, I'm a little freaked out that I drink so much of the stuff, especially since there is a slight risk of the SCOBY getting contaminated and poisoning the drinker.

But I've never had a problem with commercially-made kombucha (fingers crossed) so let's get into the reported health benefits. Keep in mind, there hasn't been much large-scale research at all into kombucha, so science has not proven these health benefits. Talk with your doctor before trying it. Kombucha is reported to boost your immune system (thanks to the probiotics), help ward off cancer, and improve your digestion and your liver function. It is rather acidic, so careful not to drink it on an empty stomach if you're sensitive.

All I know is, I drink it sometimes when I feel like I'm coming down with a cold, and it's always works. But anecdotal evidence is worth ziltch. Anyway, that hasn't stopped people from doing all sorts of things with kombucha.

Here's a tutorial on how to brew your own kombucha. If you're really interested, I would also find people who can give you advice and help you brew the first time or two.

Here's some ideas for making flavored kombucha for your kids. What's that sound I hear -- oh, it's your pediatrician screaming NOOO!!!

Here's how to make soda kombucha. Fun! This ginger-lemon jasmine kombucha looks tasty.

Why not try and counteract the benefits for kombucha by turning it into a cocktail? Sure, that makes sense. There's this kombucha cosmopolitan -- I guess that had to happen. And here's a handful of other kombucha cocktail recipes.

To your health!

Have you ever tried kombucha? What did you think?

Image via saucy salad/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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The Truth About Okra Will Make You Stop Saying ‘Ew, Yuck’

maandag 19 augustus 2013

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by Adriana Velez 2 hours ago

Okra has a public relations problem. Bring it up with most people and they'll wrinkle their noses. Okra? Eww! That weird, slimy vegetable? Why not eat your own mucus? The word "nasty" comes up a lot. And that's how I used to see okra, too. But lately friends of mine have been urging me to give it another chance -- so I have. And you know what? Okra haters are missing out. It doesn't have to be slimy, but it can be fantastic. Here's what you should know about this poor, misunderstood vegetable.

It's all about how you cook it. Cook it for a long time, and the seed pods inside would melt into that viscus goo everyone hates. But stir-fry it, deep-fry it, or try it roasted, and it's a whole 'nother vegetable. Marinating it in salt and vinegar is also supposed to cut down on the slime.

And now, the health benefits of okra. Here's why your body will thank you for giving this vegetable a try. It's loaded with fiber and Vitamins A, C, and B6. It has beta carotene. It can promote a healthy pregnancy and helps prevent diabetes. It will feed your skin and it may even help with respiratory issues like asthma.

Roasted: I never would have thought to roast okra, but this Mediterranean roasted okra recipe looks fantastic.

Deep-Fried: The secret here is, again, not to cook it too long. By the way, a quick fry in very hot oil actually means your food absorbs less fat. This deep-fried okra recipe looks great. This deep-fried okra recipe calls for 3-6 minutes.

Grilled: Of course you can grill okra! It makes a great side dish for barbecue. Here's how -- grilled okra recipe.

Poached: This Japanese okra salad recipe is a very light take on the vegetable.

Stir Fried: I threw this together the other day, and it's not exactly a recipe. Chop your okra into bite-sized chunks. In a wide, shallow pan add a splash of sesame or vegetable oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. When it's hot, throw in your okra and cook, stirring, until just barely done, about two minutes. Remove it immediately. When I made this, I happened to have some shiso leave, so I topped with that. Mint or cilantro would also be tasty.

Do you like eating okra?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Gia Allemand’s Grieving Mom Speaks Out to Tell the Truth About Her Daughter’s Tragic Death

zaterdag 17 augustus 2013

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by Sasha Brown-Worsham Yesterday at 4:25 PM

Beautiful Bachelor and Bachelor Pad star Gia Allemand tragically took her own life this week. The news came as a shock to all those who knew and loved her as well as to all of her fans. Clearly no one saw this coming. By all accounts, Allemand was well-loved by all who knew her. Of course, the tragedy has also brought out those who might seek to profit from someone else's pain.

While many have mourned the beautiful star quietly and appropriately, many others have tried to capitalize on the tragedy. Today, Allemand's mother, Donna Micheletti, issued a statement that disavowed some claiming to be "friends" of Gia just as the horrifying 911 call from boyfriend Ryan Anderson's house was released to the public.

In her statement, Micheletti says:

As her mother, I am well aware of Gia's close friends and her best friends, and I am personally going on record to refute all statements to the media out there thus far with the exception of official statements we have released through publicist Penelope Jean Hayes, and those jointly with Ryan Anderson's NBA team representation. Gia liked everyone and always found the good in people, however there were acquaintances that she had disassociated with whom are now speaking as her close friends. I don't like to give further publicity by mentioning names here, however there is a particular individual, Loredana Ferriolo, identifying herself as Gia's best friend and the fact is that Gia expressed directly to me that she did not trust this individual and her motives for her own public exposure.

Now, obviously, this is what her mother says and it's possible her mother just didn't know her life that well. But still. In addition, she said she would have more to say after the funeral and that the funeral was going to be announced soon. This is just so, so sad. What kind of sick person wants to become famous by using their troubled friend's name?

Whatever went wrong for Gia, there is likely no simple answer. Even people who have her best interest at heart might not be able to answer the most basic questions about what went wrong.

This is a tragedy and clearly a lot of people were kept in the dark. But there is no excuse for this kind of sick behavior. Trying to make money or gain fame off another person's tragedy is about as low as one can go.

Some tragic Hollywood deaths have these kinds of people trailing behind, trying to get in with the media. Good for Gia's mother for having the ability to speak out even in her time of grief. I can't even imagine what she must be feeling now.

There is not much more that can be said except that we all ought to be cautious about what we read and what we believe in the coming weeks. I am guessing this friend mentioned by Allemand's mother may not be the last.

This is just so tragic.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call a suicide prevention hotline. There are always people who want to talk to you and help you. Please reach out to your friends. They want to help. You can reach help at: 1-800-273-TALK.

Why do you think someone would try to profit from another's tragedy?

Image via ABC

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of The Bachelor(ette) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sasha Brown-Worsham

can't decide whether she is a mother, writer, or runner, but is usually all three at some point each day. She has written for dozens of print magazines, newspapers, and websites. She rarely ever writes on bathroom walls.

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The Truth About Acai Could Turn You Into an Addict

vrijdag 16 augustus 2013

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by Adriana Velez 17 hours ago

I've seen it everywhere, but I've only recently learned how to say it: Acai berry. You pronounce it ah-sigh-EE or ah-sah-EE. The tropical berry from South and Central America is supposed to have all sorts of potent health powers. Acai is rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids, and antioxidants. This means acai should help protect your body's cells, defending you from harmful, cancer-causing free radicals, and helping to slow the aging process. Acai berries are believed to be higher in antioxidants than other berries, like blueberries and raspberries.

But that's all theoretical. Scientists are looking for evidence that acai actually provides health benefits. But you might want to try them anyway, just in case. Here are a few ways to get your acai on.

Juices: The most common way to get acai is in fruit juices. Since acai is a berry, its juice blends well with other fruit juices. Or you can even just drink it plain. Here are some tips for using acai juice.

Smoothies: Acai smoothies are also popular -- in fact, probably the most common way to have acai berries. I usually see acai in the form of a frozen puree, which should blend well with other ingredients. I'm not so sure about powdered acai -- everything we know about food shows us that you lose a lot of nutrients when you dehydrate fruits and vegetables. Here's an easy acai berry smoothie recipe. 

Dessert: If you can serve it in a smoothie, why not as a dessert? Here's a recipe for acai sorbet, which actually sounds dreamy. And here's a recipe for striped coconut and acai popsicles.

Cocktails: As long as you're going decadent, might as well go all the way. I'm not sure if mixing acai cancels out the toxic effects of alcohol, or if the alcohol cancels out the health benefits of acai ... well anyway, maybe you love a little virtue with your vice. Here's a recipe for an acai berry pisco sour.

Have you tried acai berries?

Image via Lisa Cyr/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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The Truth About Sugar Is Worse Than We Thought

donderdag 15 augustus 2013

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by Maressa Brown 3 hours ago

There was a time when I used to swear that no matter what, I would never want to give up sugar. As someone who loves chocolate and loves to bake, how could I ever do without cupcakes, cookies, pies, sigh ... I mean, YOLO!

But as it may turn out, eating too much sugar may mean not living nearly as long as you would otherwise. Eek! Researchers at the University of Utah fed mice a daily diet of 25 percent extra sugar -- the equivalent of a healthy human diet plus three cans of soda -- and found that female mice were twice as likely to die and have fewer babies than those on a diet without the added sugar. OMG. Crazy, right?

Maybe even freakier: Thirteen to 25 percent of Americans currently consume a dose of added sugar equivalent to that used in the study.

Knowing people were bound to be like, "Pfft, whatever, who cares about MICE, dude!" the study's senior author, biology professor Wayne Potts, stressed that his findings are definitely relevant to humans. And he's even personally reduced refined sugar intake and encouraged his family to do the same.

As a recovering sugar addict, I'm totally on board with what Potts is saying. The more we seem to learn about refined sugar, the uglier it gets. The benefits are so minimal compared to the drawbacks. And when we have even more access to healthier, more natural options with a far less turbulent effect on blood sugar like agave and stevia and, oh, I don't know, plain ol', straight from the earth FRUIT -- why shouldn't do what we can to steer clear of super-processed sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup and white sugar? Especially when it might make for a longer, fuller life ... 

Does this make you want to change how much sugar you eat?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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Lea Michele Wants Cory Monteith 'Glee' Tribute to Tell the Truth About Drug Addiction

donderdag 8 augustus 2013

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by Emily Abbate 3 hours ago

Every day, there are new details coming out about how the Glee crew is going to handle the tragedy that is Cory Monteith's July 13 death on the FOX show. So far, what we know about the Cory Monteith tribute episode, set for October 10, is minimal. We've heard that the actors will be sitting down as themselves, addressing their best memories about their lost friend. We've also heard from creator Ryan Murphy that Cory's character Finn will die on the show as well. Now, a source is telling Us Weekly what Lea Michele wants for the tribute episode.

"Lea wants it to reflect the truth, to warn people of what can happen," a source tells Us Weekly.

That's ... brave. Hard drug use isn't a light topic to cover on a TV show with such a young demographic like Glee. Just like with the school shooting episode, something tells me that the October episode dealing with the drug-related death of Finn is going to be a heavy-hitter. 

With that said, though, I think it's the right choice. I think that sometimes, it's easier to have some of life's most difficult conversations when prompted by the things we see on television. Do parents want their kids and teenagers doing drugs? Of course not, never. But seeing some of their favorite TV characters handling the difficult passing of someone because of hard drugs, it starts the dialogue.

Lea wants to warn audiences about the dangers of hard drug use, and that's exactly what she'll be doing. Cory's death was a chilling reminder that anyone, no matter their background, can fall victim to the horrible effects of addiction. Something tells me that the upcoming ep will have both Glee fans and the media talking for weeks to come.

What would you like to see in the October 10 episode?

Image via Splash News

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The Truth About Kristen Stewart's Rumored Rebound Relationship (VIDEO)

dinsdag 16 juli 2013

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by Maressa Brown 2 hours ago

This past weekend, U.K. tabloid The Sun reported that Kristen Stewart and Boardwalk Empire star Michael Pitt were seen getting cozy at Paris Fashion Week, and there was more that met the eye between the two! In fact, sources said the broody actor was helping KStew get over Robert Pattinson! We jumped on the story, but the next day, surprise, surprise -- Pitt's rep released a statement denying the buzz.

Get the real scoop on Kristen's "rebound relationship" on today's Daily Stir:

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Who do you think Kristen Stewart should date next?

Image via CafeMomStudios

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of Kristen Stewart. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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